Coin-controlled apparatus



Nov. 15, 1927.

H.L.TRECHLER COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS 2 Sheets-$heet 1 Filed JunePatented Nov. 15, 1927.

HOWARD L. TREICHLER, OF NEWFANE, NEW YORK.

' corn-conrnomnn Aryan-Arcs.

Application filed June 29, 1925.

This invention relates to a coin cont-rolled mechanism and is primarilyintended to be used in connection with a vending machine, and is moreparticularly intended to'be used in connection with the vending machinedescribed and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 945%?filed March 13,

' 1926 which is designed to vend fruit and other relatively largecommodities.

It is, therefore, the object of this invention to provide a mechanism ofthis character which, by the co-operation of a proper coin will enablethe necessary power to be transmitted to the vending mechanism topositively discharge the relatively large articles which the machinedispenses.

Further objects are to provide a coin controlled mechanism which is ofsimple construction and composed of few parts, which will operatereliably and positively and is not liable to get out of order by the useof an improper coin, or other improper handling of the machine which isliable to occur in machines of this character.

A still further object is to provide a a simple and effective mechanismfor detecting coins of a smaller size than the coin by which'the machineis designed to be operated, and throwing the same out of the operatingsystem before it can co-operate with the mechanism and operate thevending machine.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1, is a-fragmentary front elevationof the coin controlled mechanism, coin chute, improper coin detector,and the coin receiving receptacle.

Figure 2, is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3, is a fragmentary side elevation of the coin controlledmechanism showing the coin wheels or locking disks in section.

Figure l, is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the coin wheels turned toa different position and showing the coin being discharged from betweenthe coin wheels.

Figure 5, is a fragmentary vertical section through the controllingshaft showing the. rear coin wheel in elevation, the lower end thereof,being broken away on line 55, Fig. 4, and showing the coin receivingrecess.

Serial No. 40,212.

' V Figure 6, is a fragmentary top plan view of the 00111 wheels showingthe same in proper position to receive a coin.

Figure 7, is a front elevation thereof showing the operating shaft insection.

Figure 8, is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing a coin ininterlockingengagement with said coin wheels.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of the coin wheels in theposition shown in Fig. 8.

Similar characters of reference indicate like parts throughout theseveral views.

In its general organization this invention comprises an operating shaftwhich is a part of the vending mechanism to be controlled upon whichshaft is secured a driven coin wheel; a freely rotatable driving coinwheel which is mounted on said shaft adjacent the driven coin wheel andis turned by the operator by means of a handle or crank; a coin chuteadapted to feed a coin between said coin wheels in such a position thatit forms a key and compels the coin wheels to move together, and alaterally movable locking pin mounted in the driven coin wheel andadapted upon moving the driven coin wheel forwardly to be forced intolocking engagement with the driving coin wheel by a circular camguideway which it engages, and which guideway'maintains the interlockedengagement of the locking bolt and the driving coin wheel until the coinwheels have turned a complete revolution and return to their normalposition.

The vending or dispensing mechanism, which forms no part of the presentinvention, and is consequently not illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, may be of any suitable form and is preferably contained in anenclosing casing or shell 16 which also serves as a support for severalof the parts of the coin controlled apparatus. Projecting outwardly fromthis enclosing casing or shell is the controlling shaft 17 which isconnected at its inner or rear end with the vending or dispensingmechanism within said casing in any suitable manner, it being theintention, in the present case, that one complete revolution of thiscontrolling shaft will operate successively to discharge the commodityto be sold, release the discharging means, and bring the parts back intoposition to discharge another article.

The driven coin wheel 18 is vertically disposed and is secured on theouter or pro jecting end of the horizontal cont-rolling shaft 17, so asto turn therewith preferably by means of a set screw 19 arranged in therearwardly projecting hub 20 of said driven coin wheel and adapted toengage the controlling shaft as shown in Fig. 3. This driven coin wheelis spaced from the casing or shell 16, and is provided with a verticalplane front face 21 for a purpose which will presently appear.

In front of the driven coin wheel 18 a. sleeve 22 is provided onv thecontrolling shaft which is freely rotatable thereon and supports thedriving coin wheel 23 which is secured on the rear end thereof adjacentthe driving coin wheel in any suitable manner as by a set screw 24passing through the forwardly extended hub thereof. In order to retainthe sleeve 22 and driving coin wheel 23 on the shaft and in a properposition relative to the driven coin wheel, the driven shaft is providedwit-h a reduced threaded end. 25 on which is screwed a retaining nut 26which limits the forward movement of the sleeve 22. This nut also servesto retain the operating handle or crank 27 in place, this operatinghandle having a socket at its inner end which engages the outer end 28of the rotatable sleeve 22, the same being locked so as to turn togetherby a. key 271.

The driving coin wheel 23 is of substan tially the same diameter as thedriven coin wheel, and the vertical rear face 29 thereof, is plane orflat similar to the front plane face 21 of the driven coin wheel. Thesecoin wheels are arranged closely together so that the flat faces of bothcoin wheels co-operate with each other, but unless a coin is inserted inthe apparatus, the driving coin wheel is freely rotatable independentlyof the driven coin wheel, and the turning of the handle or crank 27 doesnot move the driven coin wheel and thereby not affect the vendingmechanism (not shown).

In order to couple these coin wheels so as to move together and operatethe vending mechanism, each of the flat co-operat-ing faces of both coinwheels is provided with a recess 30 which is extended inwardly from theperiphery of each of the wheels a distance substantially equal to thediameter of the coin by which the apparatus is intended to be operated.The depth of each of these recesses from the face of the coin wheel issubstantially equal to one half the thickness of the coin, and thelength of the same along the periphery of the coin wheel issubstantially greater than the diameter of the coin, so that when thecoin wheels are turned into a position in which these recesses registerwith each other, the said recesses together form a pocket extendinginwardly from the peripheries of the coin wheels, which pocket isadapted to receive a coin in an edgewise position which coin acts as akey and compels the coin wheels to move together, as best illustrated inFig. 8.

1n the normal position of the parts the coin receiving recess 30 of thedriven coin wheel 18 is arranged at the upper end of the wheel, as shownin Fig. 1, and the coin receiving pocket is consequently formed at thispoint when the operator of theapparatus turns the crank and the drivingcoin wheel connected therewith so that the coin receiving recesses ofboth coin wheels register. The means for feeding a coin into said pocketin proper position to operate the apparatus is therefore arranged at theupper end of the coin wheels and comprises a vertically disposedinclined coin chute'32, the discharge end 33 of which preferablyconforms to the peripheral curvature of the coin wheels and is arrangedslightly above the coin wheels, as shown in Figs. 1 and 12 and isadapted to register with the coin receiving pocket. This coin chute maybe of any approved construction but is preferably made of sheet metaland is of rectangular shape in cross section, the horizontal dimensionsof the in.- terior conduit or passage 34- thereof being substantiallyequal to the diameter and thickness of the proper coin. The chute ispreferably supported from the casing or shell 16 by two or more brackets35 to which the chute can be soldered or otherwise suitably fastened.

lVhen a proper coin is inserted in the upper end 36 of the chute 32, thesame slides down the chute past an improper coin detector indicated at37, to the coin wheels. 1f the driving coin wheel 23 is not at this timein such a position that its recess 30 registers with the correspondingrecess of the driven coin wheel 18, the coin is arrested at the lowerend 33 of the chute by the periphery of the driving coin wheel. Theoperator then turns the crank until the recess of the driving coin wheelregisters with the corresponding recess of the other coin wheel, and thecoin drops into the pocket into interlocking engagement with both coinwheels. Further turning of the crank therefore turns both the coinwheels, and operates the vending mechanism up to the point where thecoin receiving pocket is inverted as in Figures t and 5 and the coindrops from the same into a coin receptacle or box 38 which is arrangedbelow the coin wheels and is preferably removably supported on brackets39 which extend forwardly from the vending mechanism enclosing casing.

Means are provided which are adapted to I maintain the locked relationof the coin wheels for a complete revolution of the same after the coinhas dropped from the pocket, said means also serving to hold the drivencoin wheel 18 in its normal position i. 0., that position in which itsrecess 30 is arranged under the coin chute, and also serving to preventretrograde movement of the coin wheels, which means in their preferredform are constructed as follows:-

The numeral 40 represents a circular guide way mounted in rear of said.coin wheels and concentric therewith and having the form of a splitring, the ends 41 and 42 of which ring are offset laterally relativelyto each other, and form a spiral or cam guide way having an inclinedportion 43 which inclines toward the coin wheels 18 and 23 in thedirection of their forward movement. This split ring or guide way may besupported in any suitable manner but is preferably rig-' idly mounted atits rear side on brackets 44 which are secured at their rear ends to thevending mechanism enclosing casing 16 by bolts 450 or other suitablefastenings. Th forwardly inclined portion 43 is arranged adjacent therearwardly offset end 41 of the guide way, and the front face 45 of theforwardly projecting portion thereof is preferably flat and parallelwith the coin wheels and terminates in the front end 42 for a purposewhich will presently appear.

The driven coin wheel 18 is provided with a guide way 46 adjacent itsperiphery and immediately in front of the split cam ring 40 which guideway extends laterally through this coin wheel and is adapted to slidablysupport the shank 47 of a locking pin, which pin extends laterallyrearward from said wheel and is provided with a head -48 at its rear endadapted to engage the front face of said ring. Engagement of the head ofthis pin with the split ring is maintained by a spring 49 whichsurrounds the shank thereof and bears against the front side of the headand the rear face of the driven coin wheel 18 and yieldingly holds thepin rearwardly in engagement with the front face of the circularguideway. This pin is located at such a point along the periphery of thedriven coin wheel 18 that when the recess 30 thereof is in its normalposition at the upper end of the wheel and below the coin chute 32, thehead of the pin bears against the rearwardly offset end 42 of thecircular guide way, as best shown in Fig. 2. In the drawings this pin isshown as arranged in advance of the coin receiving recess 30 and theoffset ends 41 and 42 of the circular guide way correspondingly arrangedat the right hand side looking rearwardly, but any arrangement of theseparts is satisfactory in which the above named relation is maintained.

In order to permit the locking pin to move forwardly into lockingengagement with the driving coin wheel, the front end of the same isrounded and the driving coin wheel 23 is provided with an opening 50extending laterally therethrough, which opening is arranged slightly inadvance of the guide way 46 of the driven coin wheel 18 when the wheelsare locked together by the coin, and receives the rounded frontend ofthe shank 47 of the locking pin which moves or crowds the driven coinwheel slightly forwardlyrelative to the driving coin wheel and therebyloosens the coin in the pocket.

'As the coin wheels are moved forwardly by reason of the interlockingengagement 0 the coin as previously described, the looking pin is forcedalong the inclined portion 43 of the circular guide Way, and since thisportion inclines forwardly toward the coin wheels the locking pin ismoved longitudinally forward against the compression of the spring 49into the opening 50 of the driving coin wheel 28 and the coin isloosened by the cam action of the same. The coin wheels are, therefore,positively locked together by this pin, and as the same are thereforeturned the coin receiving pocket is inverted, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5,and the coin loosened by the cam action of the rounded end of thelocking pin 47 is free to fall down into the coin receiving receptacleor box 88. The head 48 of the locking pin is at this time held inengagement with the flat front face 45 of the circular guide way, andthe pin is therefore held in locked ongagement during the continuedforward movement of the coin wheels up to the point where the pin passesbeyond the forwardly offset end 42 and is forced by the spring 49against the rearwardly offset end 41 and out of engagement with thedriving coin wheel 23, in which position the apparatus is in its normalposition and is ready to receive an other coin, and repeat theoperation.

By arranging the inclined portion 43 adjacent the rearwardly offset end41 of the circular guide wa the head of the bolt bears against the samewhen the apparatus is not in operation and is yieldingly held thereby inits normal position against the forwardly offset end 42. By this means,if the coin wheels are turned too rapidly, and the bolt is carriedbeyond the forwardly offend of the guide way, the driven coin wheel isbrought back into proper relation to the coin chute. It will also beobserved that the forwardly offset end 42 forms a shoulder against whichthe head of the locking pin bears, which shoulder prevents retrogrademovement of the coin or locking wheels and insures proper'operation ofthe machine.

Reliable operation of the apparatus is further insured by making thecoin receiving recesses 30 of both coin wheels, and particu larly thatof the driven coin Wheel of greatill f at) er peripheral l ngth han thediameter of the coin intended to operate the apparatus, since by thismeans the coin chute is in proper register with the coin receivingrecesses during a substantial range of movement of the coin wheels,which permits of adjusting the apparatus with less accuracy andprecision than would otherwise be the v The use'of coins of la er sizeor diam eter than the coin in conjunction with which the machine isintended to operate is prevented by n'iakiir the coin chute of such asize that itwn, only receive coins of the proper size or smaller, and inorder to prevent effective use of smaller coins an improper coindetector 37 is provided which is constructed as follows On the undersideof the inclined coin chute 32 an opening 51 is provided which isarranged centrally of he chute and is of less width than the diameter ofa proper coin and thereby provides flanges on both sides thereof whichare adapted to support a proper coin at its opposite sides, and preventthe same from falling out of the chute, while smaller coins fall out anddrop down past the coin controlled ZEQPRL'ZItIlS and into the coinreceiving receptacle 38. To further prevent small coins from going downthe chute and between the coin wheels, a longi tudinal opening 53 isprovided on the upper side of the chute opposite the opening 51 abovewhich, on the front side of the chute is pivotally mounted a U-shapedarm in a bracket 55 the dependin legs 56 of which arm are arranged onopposite sides of the coin chute.

On the central part of this arm a depending coin ejecting finger 57 isprovided which .is olfset rearwardly relatively to the legs and byreason of the prepondcrating weight of said legs is yicldingly heldacross the path of the coins through said chute. By this means theheavier coins of a proper size move the finger out of their path andpass down the chute, whereas smaller coins arethrown out by this fingerthrough the opening 51.

In actual use this coin controlling mechanism, as well as the dispensingniiechanism with which the same associated, is covered by a suitablehousing so as to prevent unauthorized persons from tampering with thesame. F or example the front end of the op erating shaft 17 may becovered to prevent turning of the same by any means other than the crankhandle 27, such covering being effected by a cap 251 which encloses thefront end of said shaft, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l and issecured to the hub of this handle in any suitable manner.

jhS a whole this apparatus is very simple and inexpensive inconstruction and durable and not liable to out of order. it is alsoreliable in operation and is difficult to operate in any manner otherthan that specifies, i. e., by the use of a proper coin.

I claim as my invention 1. In a coin controlled apparatus, a drivenmovable member operatively connected to the mechanism to be controlled,a driving movable member arranged adjacent said first nan'ied movablemember, coin operated means for initially locking said members so as tomove together, and locking means actuated by motion derived from saiddriven member for maintaining the locked engagement of said members.

2. a coin controlled apparatus, a coin wheel, means for turning saidcoin wheel, a driven coin wheel operatively connected with the mechanismto be controlled, means for feeding a coin between said coin wheels insuch a position that it engages both of said wheels and compels them tomove together, locking means actuated by motion derived from said drivencoin wheel for maintaining the locked engagement of said wheels, andmeans releasing said coin subsequent to the operation of said lockingmeans.

3. in a coin controlled apparatus a driving men'iber, a driven member,coin operated means for locking said member so as to turn together,laterally movable locking means mounted on said driven member, and cammeans for moving said locking means into engagement with said drivingmember through motion derived from said driven member.

at. In a coin controlled apparatus, a driving coin wheel, means forturning said driving coin wheel, a driven coin wheel ope-rativelyconnected with the mechanism to be controlled, means for feeding a coinbetween said coin wheels in such a position that it engages both of saidwheels and compels.

them to move together, a locking member guided in said driven coin wheeland adapt-- ed to be moved into locking engagement with the driving coinwheel, cam means moving said locking member into locking engagement withthe driving coin wheel through motion derived from the movement of saiddriven coin wheel, means releasing said coin subsequent to the operationof said locking member, and means for maintaining the locking engagementof said locking member and driving coin wheel.

5. in a coin controlled apparatus, a driv ing coin wheel, means forturning said drivin ooin wheel, a driven coin wheel operative yconnected with the. mechanism to be controlled, means for feeding a coinbetween said coin wheels in such a position that it engages both of saidwheels and compels them to move together, a locking member guided insaid driven coin wheel and adaptcd to be moved into locking engagementwith the driving coin wheel, cam means moving said locking member intolockin engagement with the driving coin wheel through motion derivedfrom the movement of said driven coin wheel, means releasing said coinsubsequent to toe operation of said locking mcmber, means formaintaining the locking engagement of said locking member and drivingcoin wheel, and means for releasing said locking members fromengagementwith said driving wheel upon the completion of the revolution of saidcoin wheels.

6. In a coin controlled apparatus, a vertically arranged driving coinwheel, means for turning said driving coin wheel, a driven coin wheelarranged in rear of said driving coin wheel and concentric therewith,said driven coin wheel being operatively connected with the mechanism tobe controlled, means arranged at the upper ends of said coin wheels andadapted to feed a coin between Said coin wheels in such a position thatit engages both of said coin wheels and compels them to turn together, acircular guide way arranged in rear of said coin wheels and concentrictherewith and having alaterally inclined portion, a locking pin movablymounted in said driven wheel and extending transversely outwardtherefrom and engaging said guide way, said pinbeing moved along theinclined portion of said circular guide way upon turning said drivencoin wheel and being moved thereby into engagement with said drivingcoin wheel, and means releasing said coin subsequent to the engagementof said locking pin with said driving coin wheel.

7. in a coin controlled apparatus, a vertically arranged driving coinwheel, means for turning said driving coin wheel, a driven coin wheelarranged in rear of said driving coin wheel and concentric therewith,said driven coin wheel being operatively connected with the mechanism tobe controlled, means arranged at the upper ends of said coin wheels andadapted to feed a coin between said coin wheels in such a position thatit engages both of said coin wheels and coinpels them to turn together",a spiral guide way arranged in rear of said coin wheels and concentrictherewith, a locking pin movably mounted in said driven wheel andextending transversely outward therefrom and engaging said guideway,said pin being moved along said spiral guide way upon turning saiddriven coin wheel and being moved thereby into engagement with saiddriving coin wheel, means releasing said coin subsequent to theengagement of said locking pin with said driving coin wheel, and springmeans interposed between said pin and driven coin wheel, said springmeans yieldingly holding said pin in engagement with said guide way andtending to hold said driven coin wheel in proper relation with saidfeeding means. I

a set relative to each other a position that it forms a 8. In a c incontrolled mechanisnna ver; tically arranged driven coin wheel opera--tively connected with the mechanism to be controlled, coin feeding meansarrangeil above said coin wheel, said uriven coin wheel having a. recesson the front face and adja cent the periphery .tliereof'which recess isarranged below said feeding means, in the normal position of said drivencoin wheel, a driving coin wheel'arranged in front of said driven coinwheel and concentric therewith and having a recess adapted to registerwith the recess of said driven coin wheel and form a pocket which pocketis adapted to receive a coin from said coin feedin means in such aposition that it forms a hey and compels said coin wheels to movetogether, a split ring mounted in rear of said coin wheels andconcentric therewith, the ends of which are laterally off- V and saidring havan inclined portion intermediate its for wardly and rearwardlyoffset ends which inclines forwardly in the direction of the forwardmovement of said coin Wheels, a locking pin slidably mounted in saiddriven coin wheel and extending transversely rearward and engaging thefront face of said split ring, said locking pin being movable forwardlyinto engagement with said driving coin wheel, and spring meansyieldingly holding said locking pin in engagement wlth said split ring,whereby upon moving said driven coin wheel forwardly the locking pin isforced up the inclined portion of said ring and thereby moved intoengagement with said driving coin wheel, which engagement is maintaineduntil the said locking pin passes beyond the forwardly ofiset end of.said ring and is forced by said spring against the rearwardly offset endthereof.

9. In a coin controlled mechanism, a vertically arranged driven coinwheel operatively connected with the mechanism to be controlled, coinfeeding means arranged above said coin wheel, said driven coin wheelhaving a recess on the front face and adjacent the periphery thereofwhich recess is arranged below said feeding means in the normal positionofsaid driven coin wheel, a driving coin wheel arranged in front of saiddriven coin wheel and concentric therewith and having a recess adaptedto register with the recess of said driven coin wheel and form a pocketwhich pocket is adapted to receive a coin from said coin feeding meansin such key and compels said coin wheels to move together, a locking pinslidably mounted in said driven coin wheel and extending transverselyrearward, said locking pin being movable forwardly into lockingengagement with said driving coin wheel, a split ring mounted in rear ofsaid coin wheels and concentric therewith, the ends of which ring arelaterally oifset relatively to each other, and said ring havrangedadjacent the rearwardly offset poring an inclined portion which inclinesfortion of said ring and co-operating With said Wardly in the directionof the forward movesp g pr ss d pm to hold said pin against 1 ment ofsaid coin Wheels, and spring means the end of the forwardly olfset endof said y'ieldingly holding the rear end of said lockring and therebyyieldingly hold the driven ing pin in engagement with said split ring,coin Wheel in its normal position.

said inclined portion of said ring being ar- HOWVARD L. TREICHLER.

